t: t: r1 . {J 0 u t J1L- Le fuù tK faad 4 pk an. ' - SHAKESPEARE- ... líÌ ....., J ' · ;' tJ:"j ,,^ , , <,..""'" " "\.. '" .,t , }: :\ " <W . " " . ... 1\, ' I \\ t " ".. /' . ...... Q, . J' . LA COLLECrIO To herald the N ew Year, a limited- edition sterling silver horn created bv Tiffany & Co., richly embellished with 18k gold and accompanied by a bottle of e ceptional Cuvee Dom P ignon Vintage 1988. Limited availabilitv. 1-800-621-0150 ,-. 3 .- '" ..: '^ g ::::: ,.. certainly impressive, but it's all too clear from the trappings of his act-dancers in polka- dotted boxer shorts, a sequinned Elvis-that he hasn't left Nevada behind. (Lamb's, 130 W. 44th St. 239-6200.) JUAN DARIÉN-A production of astonishing invent- iveness from Julie Taymor, whose next task is to stage Disney's "The Lion King." She and her collaborator, the composer Elliot Goldenthal, bill their work as a "carnival mass"; based on a tale by the Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga (1878-1937), it tells the story of a baby jag- uar who becomes human and is then turned back into an animal. Scene by scene, it's as visually moving as theatre can be- Taymor' s puppets and masks are highly expressive, in and of them- selves and in the expert way they're manipu- lated, and the sets, co-created by G. W. Mer- cier, are teeming with life. Yet overall the piece lacks emotional content; if you were a teacher, you'd give it an A+, but you'd take the student aside and say, "Next time, try to put more feeling into it." (Vivian Beaumont, Lincoln Center. 239-6200. Closes Jan. 5.) LATE NITE CATECHlsM-Maripat Donovan offers a commandingly funny performance as the lone nun In charge of an adult catechism class, and the audience brings as much to the perfor- mance as the script does. (St. Luke's Church, 308 W. 46th St. 279-4200.) THE MAIDEN OF LUDMIR-The Folksbiene Playhouse presents a new Yiddish musical by Miriam Hoffman (book and lyrics) and John Clifton (music), based on the life of the nineteenth- century female Torah scholar. (Simultaneous English or Russian translation is available) (123 E. 55th St. 755-2231.) MESSAGE TO MICHAEL-Another comedy-drama about gay men searching for love in New York City? If that's your attitude, then Rat- tlestick Productions' latest staging may not be your cu p of tea. All the same, the young playwright Tim Pinckney shows a keen tal- ent for witty dialogue and the well-timed one-liner in a depiction of gay culture whIch is happier and gentler than some of its predecessors. (Theatre Off Park, 224 Wa- verly PI., at 11th St 627-2556. Closes Jan. 5.) NATIVITy-The Vermont-based Bread and Puppet Theatre draws on Bible stories, circus acts, and the Russian folk drama "The Death of King Herod" as it adapts the Christmas story to its tastes. (Los Kabayitos Puppet Theatre, C.S.V. Cul- tural Center, 107 Suffolk St. 260-4080, ext. 14. Thursdays through Saturdays at 8; Sundays at 3. Through Dec 22.) T HE NEW BOZENA- Three very funny young clowns who approach life with hilari- ous innocence and touching wonder. One quivers with fear and timidity, one is gape-mouthed and a little slow, and one has a catlike curiosity-although a cat probably wouldn't try out a staple gun on its tongue. (11/18/96) (Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce St. 239- 6200 Closes Jan. 5.) NINE ARMENIANs-Leslie Ayvazian's play is a well-worn American-immigrant tale, complete with kids who don't care about the past until a climactic revival of tra- dition which brings everyone together, but it's humorously told and superbly acted by a cast that includes Michael Countryman, Sophie Hayden, and Kath- leen Chalfant. Lynne Meadow direc- ted. (Manhattan Theatre Club, at City Center, 131 W 55th St. 581-1212. Closes Jan. 12.) OLD WICKED SONGS-Jon Marans' well- written piece of sentimental sanctimony asks the question: Can a blocked, arrogant twenty-five-year-old pianist a ustIn Kirk) find wisdom under the tutelage of a suicidal singing teacher (Hal Robinson) who survived the Holo- caust? (The answer is yes.) (9/16/96) (Promenade, Broadway at 76th St. 580-1313.) o SOLO MIO FESTIvAL-The New York Theatre Work- shop's solo-performance festival this year fea- tures works by Emmett Foster dnd Dae1 Orlan- dersmith. (79 E. 4th St. 460-5475. Closes Jan. 5.) PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE (RISK IT! RISK IT!)- The lat- est musings on human consciousness from ;::;:, ::::'" - r>' :::; :::: ,.... RIchard Foreman and his Ontological-Hysteric Theatre. (St. Mark's In-the-Bouwene, Sec- ond Ave. at 10th St. 533-4650.) PRESENT LAUGHTER-As the monumentally egotisti- cal West End star Garry Essendine, Frank Langella keeps the core of N oël Coward's 1939 comedy of bad manners alive with a full- tilt assault on the character's outrageous- ness. Unfortunately, the director, Scott El- liott, seems to think that he's liberating Coward by turning the play into a bisexual romp But he orchestrates some dehcious farce mo- ments, and the supporting players are funny even when Elliott is leading them down blind alleys. (11/25/96) (Walter Kerr, 219 W. 48th St. 239-6200.) THE REHEARSAL-If you have a yen to see a bunch of disparate acting styles on stage at the same time, this production of Jean Anouilh's 1963 farce is for you. Nicholas Martin's rather loosey- goosey direction ends up making a porridge of the play, when a glittering crystal is what's wanted. Though nothing can destroy Anouilh's cleverness, it's frustrating to watch such good actors as Frances Conroy and Roger Rees at anything less than their best. The cast includes David Threlfall and Kathryn Meisle; Jeremy Sams did the translation. (Roundabout, Broad- way at 45th St. 869-8400. Closes Jan. 10.) THE SANTALAND DIARIEs-The writer David Sedaris has turned his piece about working as an elf at Macy's one Christmas into a monologue, but the material works much better on the page than it does on the stage. Timothy Olyphant is the sardonic elf; Joe Mantello directed this little slip of a show (Atlantic, 336 W 20th St. 239-6200. Closes Jan. 5.) SHARPS, FLATS & ACCIDENTALs-Dressed like Aus- trian counts and armed with a brand of humor that time seems to have forgotten, the Flying Karamazov Brothers are back in town, ex- ecuting amazing feats of juggling with manic "Night at the Opera" charm This time around, the focus is music, and the foursome per- forms-while juggling-everything from Bach to W. C. Handy to Cole Porter. It's a gas for both kids and their parents. (New Victory, 209 W. 42nd St. 239-6200. Closes Jan. 1.) -"' v-S',? Sarah Jessica Parker, " 0 T T M t '.,.",. " zn nce upon a a l-' esse SKYLIGHT-The playwright David Hare's success and his social conscience are still at odds. This time, the inimitable Michael Gambon plays a successful entrepreneur, and the pow- Ô erful, appealing Lia Williams is his beloved >- former mistress, who has given up the lush life to teach the underpnvileged. Their differ-